The Potters and the Prisoner of Azkaban
by MoonMaiden27
Summary: Sapphire's third year! She meets a supposed murderer-her godfather, Sirius Black! She's the only one that knows he is innocent-but can she keep that secret? And what is her teacher/other godfather hiding? Is she safe? And what will she tell Harry? Find out in part 2 of the Sapphire Potter series!
1. Ch 1: Owls and Marges and Dogs,Oh My!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I wish I did.**

* * *

For once in my life, I was bored.

I should tell you about myself. My name is Sapphire Potter, twin sister to Harry Potter, known as the "Girl Who Lived", the likes. I have long auburn hair and green eyes. Oh, and a bloody scar on my face. In fact, that scar and my eyes are the only things that I have in common with my brother, look-wise, seeing as he has messy black har that stands up in the back, with glasses.

My brother, at the moment, was doing an essay for school, using his wand for light.

I probably should have mentioned before, but I'm a witch. As in I can do magic. Me and Harry go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a school for people like us.

The clock chimed, meaning it was one o'clock in the morning. I had been 13 for a whole hour!

I reached under our bed and pulled out Harry's present. He looked up at me, confused.

"Happy birthday, big brother." I said. Pointing at the clock.

"Oh!" He jumped up and got my present, and gave it to me. I got him a book with all of the world's greatest seekers on it, as he was the seeker for our house Quiddich team. Harry got me a book(Pranking for the Prankster) and a picture of the Quiddich team we were on. I played one of the three Chasers after trying out last year.

All of a sudden, through the window soared four owls, two of them holding up the third, which appeared to be unconscious. They landed with a soft flump on our bed, and the middle owl, which was large and gray, keeled right over and lay motionless. There was a large package tied to its legs. Harry recognized the unconscious owl at once - his name was Errol, and he belonged to the Weasley family. I dashed to the bed, untied the cords around Errol's legs, took off the parcel, and then carried Errol to Harry's owl Hedwig's, who was currently out, cage. Errol opened one bleary eye, gave a feeble hoot of thanks, and began to gulp some water.

Me and Harry turned back to the remaining owls. One of them, the large snowy female, was Harry's own Hedwig. She, too, was carrying a parcel and looked extremely pleased with herself. She gave Harry an affectionate nip with her beak as he removed her burden, then flew across the room to join Errol. Another owl was my own Lunae, who also had a package. I took it and she went off hunting.

Neither of us recognized the third owl, a handsome tawny one, but I knew at once where it had come from, because in addition to a fourth and fifth package, it was carrying two letters bearing the Hogwarts crest. When I relieved this owl of its burden, it ruffled its feathers importantly, stretched its wings, and took off through the window into the night. Harry sat down on the bed and grabbed Errol's package, ripped off the brown paper, and discovered a present wrapped in gold a birthday card. Fingers trembling slightly, he opened the envelope. Three pieces of paper fell out - two letters and a newspaper clipping. The clipping had clearly come out of the wizarding newspaper, the Daily Prophet, because the people in the black-and-white picture were moving. I picked up the clipping, smoothed it out, and read:

**MINISTRY OF MAGIC EMPLOYEE SCOOPS GRAND PRIZE **

**Arthur Weasley, Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office at the Ministry of Magic, has won the annual Daily Prophet Grand Prize Galleon Draw. A delighted Mr. Weasley told the Daily Prophet, "We will be spending the gold on a summer holiday in Egypt, where our eldest son, Bill, works as a curse breaker for Gringotts Wizarding Bank." The Weasley family will be spending a month in Egypt, returning for the start of the new school year at Hogwarts, which five of the Weasley children currently attend. **

I scanned the moving photograph, and a grin spread across pur faces as we saw all nine of the Weasleys waving furiously at us, standing in front of a large pyramid. Plump little Mrs. Weasley; tall, balding Mr. Weasley; six sons; and one daughter, all (though the black-and-white picture didn't show it) with flaming-red hair. Right in the middle of the picture was Ron, tall and gangling, with his pet rat, Scabbers, on his shoulder and his arm around his little sister, Ginny. Next to them were my first and two of my bestest friends Fred and George. Me and Harry couldn't think of anyone who deserved to win a large pile of gold more than the Weasleys, who were very nice and extremely poor. Harry picked up Ron's letter and unfolded it.

_Dear Harry and Sapphire, _

_Happy birthday! Look, I'm really sorry about that telephone call. I hope the Muggles didn't give you a hard time_.(I sniggered) _I asked Dad, and he reckons I shouldn't have shouted. It's amazing here in Egypt. Bill's taken us around all the tombs and you wouldn't believe the curses those old Egyptian wizards put on them. Mum wouldn't let Ginny come in the last one. There were all these mutant skeletons in there, of Muggles who'd broken in and grown extra heads and stuff. I couldn't believe it when Dad won the Daily Prophet Draw. Seven hundred galleons! Most of it's gone on this trip, but they're going to buy me a new wand for next year. _

Harry remembered only too well the occasion when Ron's old wand had snapped. It had happened when the car the two of them had been flying to Hogwarts had crashed into a tree on the school grounds. Luckily I wasn't there.

_We'll be back about a week before term starts and we'll be going up to London to get my wand and our new books. Any chance of meeting you guys there? Don't let the Muggles get you down! _

_Try and come to London,_

_Ron _

_P.S. Percy's Head Boy. He got the letter last week. _

I glanced back at the photograph. Percy, who was in his seventh and final year at Hogwarts, was looking particularly smug. He had pinned his Head Boy badge to the fez perched jauntily on top of his neat hair, his horn-rimmed glasses flashing in the Egyptian sun. Harry now turned to our present and unwrapped it. Inside was what looked like two miniature glass spinning tops. There was another note from Ron beneath it.

_Harry and Sapphire - these are Pocket Sneakoscopes. If there's someone untrustworthy around, they're supposed to light up and spin. Bill says it's rubbish sold for wizard tourists and isn't reliable, because it kept lighting up at dinner last night. But he didn't realize Fred and George had put beetles in his soup. _

_Bye - Ron _

Harry put the Pocket Sneakoscopes on our bedside table, where they stood quite still, balanced on their points, reflecting the luminous hands of our clock. We looked at them happily for a few seconds, then Harry picked up the parcel Hedwig had brought. Inside this, too, there was a wrapped present, a card, and a letter, this time from Hermione. I read over his shoulder.

_Dear Harry and Sapphire,_

_Ron wrote to me and told me about his phone call to your Uncle Vernon. I do hope you're all right. I'm on holiday in France at the moment and I didn't know how I was going to send this to you two - what if they'd opened it at customs? - but then Hedwig turned up! I think she wanted to make sure you guys got something for your birthdays for a change. I bought your presents by owl-order; there was an advertisement in the Daily Prophet (I've been getting it delivered; it's so good to keep up with what's going on in the wizarding world), Did you see that picture of Ron and his family a week ago? I bet he's learning loads. I'm really jealous - the ancient Egyptian wizards were fascinating. There's some interesting local history of witchcraft here, too. I've rewritten my whole History of Magic essay to include some of the things I've found out, I hope it's not too long - it's two rolls of parchment more than Professor Binns asked for. Ron says he's going to be in London in the last week of the holidays. Can you guys make it? Will your aunt and uncle let you come? I really hope you can. If not, I'll see you on the Hogwarts Express on September first! _

_L__ove from __Hermione _

_P.S. Ron s__ays Percy's Head Boy. I'll bet Percy's really pleased. Ron doesn't seem too happy about it._

Me and Harry opened the presents. We each got Broomstick Servicing Kits and they looked really cool.

From Fred and George I got a large box of sweets, which I shared with Harry. From Hagrid we each got these books that tried to decapitate me. From Hogwarts, other than the usual letter, there was a notice:

_Dear Miss. Potter, _

_Please note that the new school year will begin on September the first. __The Hogwarts Express will leave from King's Cross station, platform nine and three-quarters, at eleven o'clock. _

_Third years are permitted to visit the village of Hogsmeade on certain weekends. Please give the enclosed permission form to your parent or guardian to sign. A list of books for next year is enclosed. _

_Yours sincerely, _

_Professor M. McGonagall Deputy Headmistress _

I pulled out the Hogsmeade permission form and looked at it, no longer grinning. It would be wonderful to visit Hogsmeade on weekends; I knew it was an entirely wizarding village, and I had never set foot there. But how on earth were we going to persuade Uncle Vernon or Aunt Petunia to sign the form? I looked over at the alarm clock. It was now two o'clock in the morning. I'd worry tomorrow. Me and Harry got into bed, and I smiled. This was the best birthday ever.

* * *

"WHAT?" I screeched. "That demon lady is coming over?"

All happy thoughts were out of my head by now. Harry and me HATED our Aunt Marge. I knew I was going to stay upstairs all night. I am not staying with that demon.

* * *

There was nothing that could bring me down, so Harry had to deal with this alone. Which was a bad dea, as he blew up our aunt. We were now on the street with our trunks and owls. That's right. We were on the streets.

Harry tried coming up with a plan, but I was busy staring at a dog. It was a large black dog, with stormy grey eyes. I got a really weird feeling in my gut, like I should know it. I stepped forward and put out my arm…

And was scared half to death by a bus appearing right next to me. So I did something wise.

I fainted.


	2. Ch2: I nearly kill the Minister

**Hello, peeps! I've successfully uploaded a picture of what Sapphire looks like. If you wanna see it, look at the cover and that's her!**

**Now onto a more serious matters…..Why aren't you guys reviewing? I see all of the views this story gets; it would make me happy if you would say your opinion, I don't care if you hate it or love it, as long as I know somebody cares! Sorry about that, I'm in a bloody horrible mood right now. I saw the Order of the Phoenix again and hated watching Sirius die. I know in my book he won't! He'll still go through the veil though, but it won't kill him. Yet. Well, now onto the story!**

When I came to, the first thing I saw was a copy of the _Daily Prophet._ It read:

**BLACK STILL AT LARGE**_Sirius Black, possibly the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress, is still eluding capture, the Ministry of Magic confirmed today. "We are doing all we can to recapture Black," said the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, this morning, "and we beg the magical community to remain calm." Fudge has been criticized by some members of the International Federation of Warlocks for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis. "Well, really, I had to, don't you know," said an irritable Fudge. "Black is mad. He's a danger to anyone who crosses him, magic or Muggle. I have the Prime Minister's assurance that he will not breathe a word of Black's true identity to anyone. And let's face it - who'd believe him if he did?" While Muggles have been told that Black is carrying a gun (a kind of metal wand that Muggles use to kill each other), the magical community lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago, when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse. _

I looked at the picture. A man with long, black matted hair and a waxy, sunken face was blinking slowly at me. I was transfixed by the picture. I knew that man from somewhere, I could tell by the strange feeling in my gut. It was the same one I got from seeing that dog.

I also got the feeling he was innocent, that he was framed. I blinked. How would I know that? I had never met this man in my life….had I? _Sirius Black…where do I know that name from?_

My thoughts were interrupted by a startled shout of "Sapphi…I mean Hermione! You're awake!" I looked behind me, confused. Harry stood there, next to a gangly youth in a purple uniform.

"What? Where am I, Harr-" I stopped at the look Harry gave me.

"Well, _Hermione,_" Harry emphasized the name. "After you fainted, we got onto this bus and are heading to Diagon Alley."

"Oh."

The driver slammed on the brakes and the Knight Bus skidded to a halt in front of a small and shabby-looking pub, the Leaky Cauldron, behind which lay the magical entrance to Diagon Alley. "Thanks," Harry said to the driver. He jumped down the steps and helped me down, then we helped Stan lower our trunks and Hedwig's and Lunae's cages onto the pavement. "Well," said Harry. "'Bye then!" But Stan wasn't paying attention. Still standing in the doorway to the bus, he was goggling at the shadowy entrance to the Leaky Cauldron. "There you are, Harry, Sapphire" said a voice. Before I could turn, I felt a hand on my shoulder. At the same time, Stan shouted, "Blimey! Ern, come 'ere! Come 'ere!" Me and Harry looked up at the owner of the hands on our shoulders and I felt a bucketful of ice cascade into my stomach - we had walked right into Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic himself. Stan leapt onto the pavement beside us. "What didja call Neville and Hermione, Minister?" he said excitedly.

Fudge, a portly little man in a long, pinstriped cloak, looked cold and exhausted. "Neville? Hermione?" he repeated, frowning. "This is Harry Potter. And this is Sapphire Potter." "I knew it!" Stan shouted gleefully. "Ern! Ern! Guess 'oo Neville is, Ern! 'E's 'Arry Potter! And Hermione's Sapp'ire I can see 'the scars!" "Yes," said Fudge testily, "well, I'm very glad the Knight Bus picked them up, but we need to step inside the Leaky Cauldron now..." Fudge increased the pressure on my shoulder, and me and Harry found ourselves being steered inside the pub. A stooping figure bearing a lantern appeared through the door behind the bar. It was Tom, the wizened, toothless landlord. "You've got them, Minister!" said Tom. "Will you be wanting anything? Beer? Brandy?" "Perhaps a pot of tea," said Fudge, who still hadn't let go of Harry or me. There was a loud scraping and puffing from behind them, and Stan and Ern appeared, carrying our trunks and Hedwig's and Lunae's cages and looking around excitedly. "'Ow come you di'n't tell us 'oo you are, eh, Neville? 'Ermione?" said Stan, beaming at us, while Ernie's owlish face peered interestedly over Stan's shoulder. I grinned wolfishly (**A.N Hint, hint)** and said "Whoops."

"And a private parlor, please, Tom," said Fudge pointedly.

"'Bye," Harry said miserably to Stan and Ern as Tom beckoned Fudge toward the passage that led from the bar. I gave a salute to them."'Bye, Neville! 'Bye 'Ermione!" called Stan. Fudge marched us along the narrow passage after Tom's lantern, and then into a small parlor. Tom clicked his fingers, a fire burst into life in the grate, and he bowed himself out of the room. "Sit down." said Fudge, indicating a couch by the fire. Me and Harry sat down, me feeling goose bumps rising up my arms despite the glow of the fire. Fudge took off his pinstriped cloak and tossed it aside, then hitched up the trousers of his bottle-green suit and sat down opposite Harry. "I am Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic." We already knew this, of course; Harry had seen Fudge once before when I was petrified, but as he had been wearing our father's Invisibility Cloak at the time, Fudge wasn't to know that. Tom the innkeeper reappeared, wearing an apron over his nightshirt and bearing a tray of tea and crumpets. He placed the tray on a table between Fudge and us and left the parlor, closing the door behind him. "Well," said Fudge, pouring out tea, "you've had us all in a right flap, I don't mind telling you. Running away from your aunt and uncle's house like that! I'd started to think...but you're safe, and that's what matters." Fudge buttered himself a crumpet and pushed the plate toward us. "Eat, Harry, you look dead on your feet. You too, Sapphire. Now then...You will be pleased to hear that we have dealt with the unfortunate blowing-up of Miss Marjorie Dursley." (I growled at this) "Two members of the Accidental Magic Reversal Department were dispatched to Privet Drive a few hours ago. Miss Dursley has been punctured and her memory has been modified. She has no recollection of the incident at all. So that's that, and no harm done." Fudge smiled at us over the rim of his teacup, rather like an uncle surveying a favorite nephew and niece. Me and Harry, who couldn't believe our ears, looked at each other, and Harry opened his mouth to speak, couldn't think of anything to say, and closed it again. "Ah, you're worrying about the reaction of your aunt and uncle?" said Fudge. "Well, I won't deny that they are extremely angry, but they are prepared to take you back next summer as long as you stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays." I unstuck my throat. "I always stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays," I said, "and I don't ever want to go back to Privet Drive." Harry nodded, agreeing with me.

"Now, now, I'm sure you'll feel differently once you've calmed down," said Fudge in a worried tone. "They are your family, after all, and I'm sure you are fond of each other - er - very deep down." It didn't occur to me to put Fudge right. Me and Harry were still waiting to hear what was going to happen to us now. "So all that remains," said Fudge, now buttering himself a second crumpet, "is to decide where you're going to spend the last two weeks of your vacation. I suggest you take a room here at the Leaky Cauldron and..." "Hang on," blurted Harry. "What about our punishment?"

Fudge blinked. "Punishment?" "I broke the law!" Harry said. "The Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry!" "Oh, my dear boy, we're not going to punish you for a little thing like that!" cried Fudge, waving his crumpet impatiently. "It was an accident! We don't send people to Azkaban just for blowing up their aunts!" I grinned again. Never?But this didn't tally at all with Harry's past dealings with the Ministry of Magic. "Last year, me and my sister got an official warning just because a house-elf smashed a pudding in our uncle's house!" he told Fudge, frowning. "The Ministry of Magic said we'd be expelled from Hogwarts if there was any more magic there!" Unless my eyes were deceiving me, which they NEVER do, Fudge was suddenly looking awkward. "Circumstances change, Harry...We have to take into account...in the present climate...Surely you don't want to be expelled?" "Of course I don't," said Harry. I agreed with him."Well then, what's all the fuss about?" laughed Fudge. "Now, have a crumpet, while I go and see if Tom's got a room for you."

Fudge strode out of the parlor and I stared after him. There was something extremely odd going on. Why had Fudge been waiting for us at the Leaky Cauldron, if not to punish him for what Harry had done? And now that I came to think of it, surely it wasn't usual for the Minister of Magic himself to get involved in matters of underage magic? Well, maybe, seeing as he is so full of himself!

Fudge came back, accompanied by Tom the innkeeper. "Room eleven's free, Harry," said Fudge. "I think you'll be very comfortable. Um", he continued, looking at me. "Seeing as there is only one room available.."

"I'll stay with my brother." I snarled, glaring at the Minister of Magic."

"Very well, then. Just one thing, and I'm sure you'll understand...I don't want you wandering off into Muggle London, all right? Keep to Diagon Alley. And you're to be back here before dark each night. Sure you'll understand. Tom will be keeping an eye on you two for me." "Okay," said Harry slowly, "but why?" "Don't want to lose you two again, do we?" said Fudge with a hearty laugh. "No, no...best we know where you are...I mean..." Fudge cleared his throat loudly and picked up his pinstriped cloak. "Well, I'll be off, plenty to do, you know..." "Have you had any luck with Black yet?" Harry asked. Fudge's finger slipped on the silver fastenings of his cloak. I smirked at this. Surely the big bad Minister wasn't SCARED, was he? Of an innocent ma- wait, what? How should I know Sirius Black was innocent?"What's that? Oh, you've heard - well, no, not yet, but it's only a matter of time. The Azkaban guards have never yet failed...and they are angrier than I've ever seen them." Fudge shuddered slightly. "So, I'll say good-bye." He held out his hand and Harry, shaking it, apparently had an idea. "Er - Minister? Can I ask you something?" "Certainly," said Fudge with a smile. "Well, third years at Hogwarts are allowed to visit Hogsmeade, but our aunt and uncle didn't sign the permission forms. D'you think you could -?" Fudge was looking uncomfortable. "Ah," he said. "No, no, I'm very sorry, Harry, but as I'm not yours or Sapphire's parent or guardian -" _Thank god,_ I thought.

"But you're the Minister of Magic," said Harry eagerly. "If you gave us permission..." "No, I'm sorry, Harry, but rules are rules," said Fudge flatly. "Perhaps you'll be able to visit Hogsmeade next year. In fact, I think it's best if you don't...yes...well, I'll be off. Enjoy your stay, Harry. You too, Sapphire." And with a last smile and shake of Harry's hand(I glared at him), Fudge left the room. Tom now moved forward, beaming at Harry and me. "If you'll follow me, Mr. and Miss. Potter," he said, "I've already taken your things up..." We followed Tom up a handsome wooden staircase to a door with a brass number eleven on it, which Tom unlocked and opened for us. Inside was a very comfortable-looking bed, some highly polished oak furniture, a cheerfully crackling.

"If there's anything you need, Mr. Potter, or you, Miss Potter, don't hesitate to ask." He gave another bow and left. Me and Harry sat on the bed for a long time, Harry absentmindedly stroking Hedwig. The sky outside the window was changing rapidly from deep, velvety blue to cold, steely gray and then, slowly, to pink shot with gold. I could hardly believe that we'd left Privet Drive only a few hours ago, that Harry wasn't expelled, and that we were now facing two completely Dursley-free weeks. "It's been a very weird night, Sapphire," Harry yawned. I didn't reply. I was busy thinking about that dog and Black, wondering why I got that feeling. Wondering why I felt the burst of love I felt looking at my twin brother.

**Chapter two, DONE! I made up my mind about the Animagus issue, you'll figure it out soon! Until next time,**

**Moonpaw(my Marauder nickname)**


	3. Ch 3: I get Horsies and get confused

**Hey guys! Before I start, I'd like to thank Rolf5 for being my first reviewer, and pickle08 for giving that AWESOME review! It makes me happy that you think Sapphire isn't a Mary-Sue! The closest she will be to a Mary-Sue will be at Christmastime(you'll see). **

**You know, yesterday I felt a strong sense of deja-vu. I had gone to Monkey Jungle, and was feeding some monkeys, and this one monkey claimed me as his "human". I would always feed him, and when I fed a different monkey, he would always attack it. When I left, the monkey was screaming and trying to break free. Weird, right? Well, time to start the story.**

* * *

It took me and Harry several days to get used to our strange new freedom. Never before had I been able to get up whenever I wanted or eat whatever I fancied, and believe me, I loved that feeling. We could even go wherever we pleased, as long as it was in Diagon Alley, and as this long cobbled street was packed with the most fascinating wizarding shops in the world, I felt no desire to break my word to Fudge and stray back into the Muggle world. Harry ate breakfast each morning in the Leaky Cauldron, where he liked watching the other guests: funny little witches from the country, up for a day's shopping; venerable-looking wizards arguing over the latest article in Transfiguration Today; wild-looking warlocks; raucous dwarfs; and once, what looked suspiciously like a hag, who ordered a plate of raw liver from behind a thick woolen balaclava.

I would skip breakfast altogether, eating merely a piece of toast and a glass of butterbeer. After that, I would go out into the backyard, take out my wand, tap the third brick from the left above the trash bin, and stand back as the archway into Diagon Alley opened in the wall. Me and Harry spent the long sunny days exploring the shops and eating under the brightly colored umbrellas outside cafes, where our fellow diners were showing one another their purchases ("It's a lunascope, old boy - no more messing around with moon charts, see?") or else discussing the case of Sirius Black ("Personally, I won't let any of the children out alone until he's back in Azkaban").

I chose to ignore them.

I didn't have to do my homework under the blankets by flashlight anymore; now me and my brother could sit in the bright sunshine outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, finishing all of our essays with occasional help from Florean Fortescue himself, who, apart from knowing a great deal about medieval witch burnings, gave us free sundaes every half an hour.

Once we had refilled our money bags with gold Galleons, silver Sickles, and bronze Knuts from our vault at Gringotts, the Wizarding bank, Harry had to exercise a lot of self-control not to spend the whole lot at once. I was more in control. I had to keep reminding him that we had five years to go at Hogwarts, and how it would feel to ask the Dursleys for money for spellbooks, to stop Harry from buying a handsome set of solid gold Gobstones (a wizarding game rather like marbles, in which the stones squirt a nasty-smelling liquid into the other player's face when they lose a point). Harry was sorely tempted, too, by the perfect, moving model of the galaxy in a large glass ball, which would have meant he never had to take another Astronomy lesson.

But the thing that tested Harry's(and even my) resolution most appeared in our favorite shop, Quality Quidditch Supplies, a week after we'd arrived at the Leaky Cauldron. Curious to know what the crowd in the shop was staring at, Harry and I edged our way inside and squeezed in among the excited witches and wizards until I glimpsed a newly erected podium, on which was mounted the most magnificent broom I had ever seen in my life.

"Just come out - prototype -" a square-jawed wizard was telling his companion.

"It's the fastest broom in the world, isn't it, Dad?" squeaked a boy younger than us, who was swinging off his father's arm.

"Irish International Side's just put in an order for seven of these beauties!" the proprietor of the shop told the crowd. "And they're favorites for the World Cup!" A large witch in front of us moved, and we were able to read the sign next to the broom:

**** THE FIREBOLT ****

**THIS STATE-OF-THE-ART RACING BROOM SPORTS A STREAM-LINED, SUPERFINE HANDLE OF ASH, TREATED WITH A DIAMOND-HARD POLISH AND HAND-NUMBERED WITH ITS OWN REGISTRATION NUMBER. EACH INDIVIDUALLY SELECTED BIRCH TWIG IN THE BROOMTAIL HAS BEEN HONED TO AERODYNAMIC PERFECTION, GIVING THE FIREBOLT UNSURPASSABLE BALANCE AND PINPOINT PRECISION. THE FIREBOLT HAS AN ACCELERATION OF 150 MILES AN HOUR IN TEN SECONDS AND INCORPORATES AN UNBREAKABLE BRAKING CHARM. PRICE ON REQUEST.**

Price on request...I didn't like to think how much gold the Firebolt would cost. Harry had never wanted anything as much in his whole life, I could see that - but we had never lost a Quidditch match on our Nimbus Two Thousands, and what was the point in emptying our Gringotts vault for the Firebolt, when we had very good brooms already? I grabbed my brother's hand and pulled him away none too gently.

* * *

There were, however, things that we needed to buy. We went to the Apothecary to replenish our store of Potions ingredients, and as Harry's school robes were now several inches too short in the arm and leg, and mine were too tight aroud the bust area, I took us to visit Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions and we bought new ones. Most important of all, I had to buy my new schoolbooks, which would include those for my new subjects, Care of Magical Creatures and Arthimancy. Harry had gotten Care of Magical Creatures and Divination.

Me and Harry got a surprise as we looked in at the bookshop window. Instead of the usual display of gold-embossed spellbooks the size of paving slabs, there was a large iron cage behind the glass that held about a hundred copies of The Monster Book of Monsters. Torn pages were flying everywhere as the books grappled with each other, locked together in furious wrestling matches and snapping aggressively. I pulled my booklist out of my pocket and consulted it for the first time. The Monster Book of Monsters was listed as the required book for Care of Magical Creatures. Now I understood why Hagrid had said it would come in useful. I felt relieved; I had been wondering whether Hagrid wanted help with some terrifying new pet.

As we entered Flourish and Blotts, the manager came hurrying toward us.

"Hogwarts?" he said abruptly. "Come to get your new books?"

"Yes," said Harry, "We need -"

"Get out of the way," said the manager impatiently, brushing us aside. He drew on a pair of very thick gloves, picked up a large, knobbly walking stick, and proceeded toward the door of the Monster Books' cage.

"Hang on," said Harry quickly, "We've already got two of those."

"Have you?" A look of enormous relief spread over the manager's face. "Thank heavens for that. I've been bitten five times already this morning -" A loud ripping noise rent the air; two of the Monster Books had seized a third and were pulling it apart.

"Stop it! Stop it!" cried the manager, poking the walking stick through the bars and knocking the books apart. "I'm never stocking them again, never! It's been bedlam! I thought we'd seen the worst when we bought two hundred copies of the Invisible Book of Invisibility - cost a fortune, and we never found them...Well...is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Yes," said Harry, looking down his booklist, "I need 'Unfogging the Future' by Cassandra Vablatsky."

"Ah, starting Divination, are you?" said the manager, stripping off his gloves and leading Harry into the back of the shop, where there was a corner devoted to fortune-telling. A small table was stacked with volumes such as Predicting the Unpredictable; Insulate Yourself Against Shocks and Broken Balls; When Fortunes Turn Foul.

"Here you are," said the manager, who had climbed a set of steps to take down a thick, black-bound book. "Unfogging the Future. Very good guide to all your basic fortune-telling methods - palmistry, crystal balls, bird entrails."

He gave it to Harry.

"And for you, Miss. Potter?"

But I wasn't listening. My eyes had fallen on another book, which was among a display on a small table: "Death Omens - What to Do When You Know the Worst Is Coming."

"Oh, I wouldn't read that if I were you," said the manager lightly, looking to see what I was staring at. "You'll start seeing death omens everywhere. It's enough to frighten anyone to death."

But I continued to stare at the front cover of the book; it showed a black dog large as a bear, with gleaming eyes. It looked just like the dog from the street.

I looked at another book: "Animagi, and how to become one." I bought it without anyone noticing. I was mildly curious about it.

* * *

Me and Harry emerged from Flourish and Blotts ten minutes later with our new books under our arms and made our way back to the Leaky Cauldron, hardly noticing where we were going and bumping into several people. I tramped up the stairs to our room, went inside, and tipped our books onto our bed. Somebody had been in to tidy; the windows were open and sun was pouring inside. I could hear the buses rolling by in the unseen Muggle street behind me and the sound of the invisible crowd below in Diagon Alley. I caught sight of myself in the mirror over the basin.

"It can't have been a death omen," I told my reflection defiantly. "I was panicking when I saw that thing in Magnolia Crescent...It was probably just a stray dog...I can't know it…" But I knew I was lying to myself.

As the days slipped by, Harry started looking wherever he went for a sign of Ron or Hermione while I looked for Fred and George. Plenty of Hogwarts students were arriving in Diagon Alley now, with the start of term so near. Harry met Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, our fellow Gryffindors, in Quality Quidditch Supplies, where they too were ogling the Firebolt; I ran into the real Neville Longbottom, a round-faced, forgetful boy, outside Flourish and Blotts. But I didn't stop to chat; Neville appeared to have mislaid his booklist and was being told off by his very formidable-looking grandmother. I hoped she never found out that Harry'd pretended to be Neville while on the run from the Ministry of Magic.

I woke on the last day of the holidays, thinking that we would at least meet Ron, the twins, and Hermione tomorrow, on the Hogwarts Express. Me and Harry got up, dressed, went for a last look at the Firebolt, and were just wondering where we'd have lunch, when someone yelled our names and we turned.

"Harry! HARRY! SAPPHIRE!" They were there, Ron and Hermione, sitting outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor - Ron looking incredibly freckly, Hermione very brown, both waving frantically at us.

"Finally!" said Ron, grinning at Harry and hugging me as we sat down. Me and Hermione embraced tightly. She was my best girl friend. "We went to the Leaky Cauldron, but they said you'd left, and we went to Flourish and Blotts, and Madam Malkin's, and -"

"We got all of our school stuff last week," Harry explained. "And how come you knew we were staying at the Leaky Cauldron?"

"Dad," said Ron simply.

Mr. Weasley, who worked at the Ministry of Magic, would of course have heard the whole story of what had happened to Aunt Marge.

"Did you really blow up your aunt, Harry?" said Hermione in a very serious voice.

"I didn't mean to," said Harry, while me and Ron roared with laughter. "I just - lost control."

"It's not funny, you two," said Hermione sharply. "Honestly, I'm amazed Harry wasn't expelled."

"So am I," admitted Harry. "Forget expelled, I thought me and Sapphire were going to be arrested." He looked at Ron. "Your dad doesn't know why Fudge let me off, does he?"

I pouted at Fudge's name. Harry rolled his eyes.

"Probably 'cause it's you two, isn't it?" shrugged Ron, still chuckling. "Famous Harry and Sapphire Potter and all that. I'd hate to see what the Ministry'd do to me if I blew up an aunt. Mind you, they'd have to dig me up first, because Mum would've killed me. Anyway, you can ask Dad yourself this evening. We're staying at the Leaky Cauldron tonight too! So you guys can come to King's Cross with us tomorrow! Hermione's there as well!" Hermione nodded, beaming.

"Mum and Dad dropped me off this morning with all my Hogwarts things."

"Excellent!" said Harry and me at the same time.

"So, have you got all your new books and stuff?" I asked.

"Look at this," said Ron, pulling a long thin box out of a bag and opening it. "Brand-new wand. Fourteen inches, willow, containing one unicorn tail-hair. And we've got all our books -" He pointed at a large bag under his chair. "What about those Monster Books, eh? The assistant nearly cried when we said we wanted two."

"What's all that, Hermione?" I asked, pointing at not one but three bulging bags in the chair next to her.

"Well, I'm taking more new subjects than you three, aren't I," said Hermione. "Those are my books for Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, the Study of Ancient Runes, Muggle Studies -"

"What are you doing Muggle Studies for?" said Ron, rolling his eyes at Harry and me. "You're Muggle-born! Your mum and dad are Muggles! You already know all about Muggles!"

"But it'll be fascinating to study them from the wizarding point of view," said Hermione earnestly. I rolled my eyes. Typical Hermione.

"Are you planning to eat or sleep at all this year, Hermione?" I asked, while my brother and Ron sniggered. Hermione ignored us.

"I've still got ten Galleons," she said, checking her purse. "It's my birthday in September, and Mum and Dad gave me some money to get myself an early birthday present."

"How about a nice book? said Ron innocently. I busted out laughing.

"No, I don't think so," said Hermione composedly. "I really want an owl. I mean, Harry's got Hedwig, Sapphire's got Lunae and you've got Errol -"

"I haven't," said Ron. "Errol's a family owl. All I've got is Scabbers." He pulled his pet rat out of his pocket. I glared at it. I never liked Scabbers. "And I want to get him checked over," he added, placing Scabbers on the table in front of us. "I don't think Egypt agreed with him." Scabbers was looking thinner than usual, and there was a definite droop to his whiskers.

"There's a magical creature shop just over there," I said. I knew Diagon Alley very well by now. "You could see if they've got anything for Scabbers, and Hermione can get her owl."

So we paid for our ice cream and crossed the street to the Magical Menagerie. There wasn't much room inside. Every inch of wall was hidden by cages. It was smelly and very noisy because the occupants of these cages were all squeaking, squawking, jabbering, or hissing.

I loved it.

The witch behind the counter was already advising a wizard on the care of double-ended newts, so me, Harry, Ron, and Hermione waited, examining the cages. A pair of enormous purple toads sat gulping wetly and feasting on dead blowflies. A gigantic tortoise with a jewel-encrusted shell was glittering near the window. Poisonous orange snails were oozing slowly up the side of their glass tank, and a fat white rabbit kept changing into a silk top hat and back again with a loud popping noise. Then there were cats of every color, a noisy cage of ravens, a basket of funny custard-colored furballs that were humming loudly, and on the counter, a vast cage of sleek black rats that were playing some sort of skipping game using their long, bald tails. The double-ended newt wizard left, and Ron approached the counter.

"It's my rat," he told the witch. "He's been a bit off-color ever since I brought him back from Egypt."

"Bang him on the counter," said the witch, pulling a pair of heavy black spectacles out of her pocket. Ron lifted Scabbers out of his inside pocket and placed him next to the cage of his fellow rats, who stopped their skipping tricks and scuffled to the wire for a better took. Like nearly everything Ron owned, Scabbers the rat was secondhand (he had once belonged to Ron's brother Percy) and a bit battered. Next to the glossy rats in the cage, he looked especially woebegone.

"Hm," said the witch, picking up Scabbers. "How old is this rat?"

"Dunno," said Ron. "Quite old. He used to belong to my brother."

"What powers does he have?" said the witch, examining Scabbers closely.

"Er -"

The truth was that Scabbers had never shown the faintest trace of interesting powers. The witch's eyes moved from Scabbers's tattered left ear to his front paw, which had a toe missing, and tutted loudly.

"He's been through the mill, this one," she said.

"He was like that when Percy gave him to me," said Ron defensively.

"An ordinary common or garden rat like this can't be expected to live longer than three years or so," said the witch. "Now, if you were looking for something a bit more hard-wearing, you might like one of these -" She indicated the black rats, who promptly started skipping again.

Ron muttered, "Show-offs."

"Well, if you don't want a replacement, you can try this rat tonic," said the witch, reaching under the counter and bringing out a small red bottle.

"Okay," said Ron. "How much - OUCH!" Ron buckled as something huge and orange came soaring from the top of the highest cage, landed on his head, and then propelled itself, spitting madly, at Scabbers.

"NO, CROOKSHANKS, NO!" cried the witch, but Scabbers shot from between her hands like a bar of soap, landed splay-legged on the floor, and then scampered for the door.

"Scabbers!" Ron shouted, racing out of the shop after him; Harry and I followed. I tried not laugh. It took us nearly ten minutes to catch Scabbers, who had taken refuge under a wastepaper bin outside Quality Quidditch Supplies. Ron stuffed the trembling rat back into his pocket and straightened up, massaging his head.

"What was that?"

"It was either a very big cat or quite a small tiger," I said. "Where's Hermione?"

"Probably getting her owl."

"Ronnykins?" I asked sweetly. Harry rolled his eyes, knowing what I was about to do.

"Yes?" Ron asked me, confused. I just held out my arms. Ron finally realized what I wanted.

"Fine!" he said, bending down.

"Yay!" I squealed, jumping on. "Onward, my trusty steed!"

* * *

We made our way back up the crowded street to the Magical Menagerie, me riding Ron piggyback. As we reached it, Hermione came out, but she wasn't carrying an owl.

Her arms were clamped tightly around the enormous ginger cat.

"You bought that monster?" said Ron, his mouth hanging open.

"He's gorgeous, isn't he?" said Hermione, glowing.

That was a matter of opinion, I thought. The cat's ginger fur was thick and fluffy, but it was definitely a bit bowlegged and its face looked grumpy and oddly squashed, as though it had run headlong into a brick wall. Now that Scabbers was out of sight, however, the cat was purring contentedly in Hermione's arms.

"Hermione, that thing nearly scalped me!" said Ron.

"He didn't mean to, did you, Crookshanks?" said Hermione.

"And what about Scabbers?" said Ron, pointing at the lump in his chest pocket. "He needs rest and relaxation! How's he going to get it with that thing around?"

"That reminds me, you forgot your rat tonic," said Hermione, slapping the small red bottle into Ron's hand. "And stop worrying, Crookshanks will be sleeping in mine and Sapphire's dormitory and Scabbers in yours, what's the problem? Poor Crookshanks, that witch said he'd been in there for ages; no one wanted him."

"Wonder why," said Ron sarcastically as we set off toward the Leaky Cauldron. Hermione saw me on Ron's back and laughed. We got to the Leaky Cauldron and found Mr. Weasley sitting in the bar, reading the Daily Prophet. "Harry! Sapphire!" he said, smiling warmly as he looked up. "How are you?"

"Fine, thanks," said Harry as he, Ron, me, and Hermione joined Mr. Weasley with their shopping. I hugged him without getting off my horsy. Mr. Weasley put down his paper, and I saw the now familiar picture of Sirius Black staring up at me. I got that feeling again.

"They still haven't caught him, then?" Hary asked.

"No," said Mr. Weasley, looking extremely grave. "They've pulled us all off our regular jobs at the Ministry to try and find him, but no luck so far."

I smiled, then frowned.

"Would we get a reward if we caught him?" asked Ron. "It'd be good to get some more money -" I thwacked him. "Ouch, Sapphire!"

"Don't be ridiculous, Ron," said Mr. Weasley, who on closer inspection looked very strained. "Black's not going to be caught by a thirteen-year-old wizard. It's the Azkaban guards who'll get him back, You mark my words."

At that moment Mrs. Weasley entered the bar, laden with shopping bags and followed by the twins, who were about to start their fifth year at Hogwarts(I grinned at them); the newly elected Head Boy, Percy; and the Weasleys' youngest child and only girl, Ginny. Ginny, who had always been very taken with my brother and, seemed even more heartily embarrassed than usual when she saw Harry, perhaps because he had saved her life during their previous year at Hogwarts, and I became her close friend. She went very red and muttered "Hello" without looking at him. She grinned at me shyly.

Percy, however, held out his hand solemnly as though he and never met us had and said, "Harry. Sapphire. How nice to see you." I got off of my horsy's back and shook his hand.

"Hello, Percy," I said, trying not to laugh.

"I hope you're well?" said Percy pompously, shaking hands with my brother. It was rather like being introduced to the mayor.

"Very well, thanks -" I said, equally pompously.

"Sapphire!" said Fred, elbowing Percy out of the way and bowing deeply. "Simply splendid to see you, my dear -"

"Why thank you, old boy!" I laughed, bowing back. I then hugged him tightly.

"Marvelous," said George, pushing Fred aside and seizing my hand in turn. "Absolutely spiffing."

Percy scowled. I laughed again, hugging my other favorite Weasley.

"That's enough, now," said Mrs. Weasley.

"Mum!" said Fred, as though he'd only just spotted her and seizing her hand, too. "How really corking to see you -"

"I said, that's enough," said Mrs. Weasley, depositing her shopping in an empty chair. I was still hugging George, until Fred started waggling his eyebrows at us. I let go and jumped on Fred's back.

"To Narnia, Horsy!" I shouted.

Ron pretended to look hurt. "I thought I was your horsy?" he exclaimed.

"Aww, you'll always be my little Ronnykins!" I said.

"Hello, Harry, dear. Hello, Sapphire. I suppose you've heard our exciting news?" She pointed to the brand-new silver badge on Percy's chest. "Second Head Boy in the family!" she said, swelling with pride.

"And last," Fred muttered under his breath. I giggled.

"I don't doubt that," said Mrs. Weasley, frowning suddenly. "I notice they haven't made you two prefects."

"What do we want to be prefects for?" said George, looking revolted at the very idea. "It'd take all the fun out of life." Ginny giggled. My sides hurt from trying not to laugh.

"You want to set a better example for your sister!" snapped Mrs. Weasley.

"Ginny's got other brothers to set her an example, Mother," said Percy loftily. "I'm going up to change for dinner..." He disappeared and George heaved a sigh.

"We tried to shut him in a pyramid," he told me. "But Mum spotted us."

I pouted.

* * *

Dinner that night was a very enjoyable affair. Tom the innkeeper put three tables together in the parlor, and the seven Weasleys, Harry, me, and Hermione ate our way through five delicious courses.

"How're we getting to King's Cross tomorrow, Dad?" asked Fred as we dug into a sumptuous chocolate pudding. The me and George were having a pudding eating contest while Harry refereed.

"The Ministry's providing a couple of cars," said Mr. Weasley. Everyone looked up at him. I looked like a chipmunk with my cheeks full of pudding.

"Why?" said Percy curiously.

"It's because of you, Perce," said George seriously. "And there'll be little flags on the hoods, with HB on them-"

"- for Humongous Bighead," me and Fred said at the same time, me swallowing the pudding.

Everyone except Percy and Mrs. Weasley snorted into their pudding.

"Why are the Ministry providing cars, Father?" Percy asked again, in a dignified voice.

"Well, as we haven't got one anymore," said Mr. Weasley, "and as I work there, they're doing me a favor..." His voice was casual, but I couldn't help noticing that Mr. Wesley's ears had gone red, just like Ron's did when he was under pressure.

"Good thing, too," said Mrs. Weasley briskly. "Do you realize how much luggage you've all got between you? A nice sight you'd be on the Muggle Underground...You are all packed, aren't you?"

"Ron hasn't put all his new things in his trunk yet," said Percy, in a long-suffering voice. "He's dumped them on my bed."

"You'd better go and pack properly, Ron, because we won't have much time in the morning," Mrs. Weasley called down the table. Ron scowled at Percy.

After dinner everyone felt very full and sleepy. One by one we made our way upstairs to the rooms to check our things for the next day.

Ron and Percy were next door to Harry(I moved in with Hermione and Ginny. I was in Harry's room for a few minutes, helping him pack.

I had just closed and locked my own trunk when we heard angry voices through the wall, and went to see what was going on. The door of number twelve was ajar and Percy was shouting.

"It was here, on the bedside table, I took it off for polishing -"

"I haven't touched it, all right?" Ron roared back.

"What's up?" I asked, chewing on an apple I snuck from the kitchen.

"My Head Boy badge is gone," said Percy, rounding on me.

"So's Scabbers's Rat Tonic," said Ron, throwing things out of his trunk to look. "I think I might've left it in the bar -"

"You're not going anywhere till you've found my badge!" yelled Percy.

"I'll get Scabbers's stuff, I'm packed," Harry said to Ron, and he went downstairs, while I followed.

We were halfway along the passage to the bar, which was now very dark, when I heard another pair of angry voices coming from the parlor. A second later, I recognized them as Mr. and Mrs. Weasleys'. We hesitated, not wanting them to know we'd heard them arguing, when the sound of Harry's own name made us stop, look at each other, then move closer to the parlor door.

"...makes no sense not to tell them," Mr. Weasley was saying heatedly. "Harry's got a right to know, and so does Sapphire. I've tried to tell Fudge, but he insists on treating them like children. They're both thirteen years old and -"

"Arthur, the truth would terrify them!" said Mrs. Weasley shrilly. "Do you really want to send Harry and Sapphire back to school with that hanging over them? For heaven's sake, they're both happy not knowing!"

"I don't want to make them miserable, I want to put them on his guard!" retorted Mr. Weasley. "You know what Harry, Sapphire, and Ron are like, wandering off by themselves - they've ended up in the Forbidden Forest twice! But they mustn't do that this year! When I think what could have happened to them that night they ran away from home! If the Knight Bus hadn't picked them up, I'm prepared to bet they would have been dead before the Ministry found them."

"But they're not dead, they're fine, so what's the point -"

"Molly, they say Sirius Black's mad, and maybe he is, but he was clever enough to escape from Azkaban, and that's supposed to be impossible. It's been three weeks, and no one's seen hide nor hair of him, and I don't care what Fudge keeps telling the Daily Prophet, we're no nearer catching Black than inventing self-spelling wands. The only thing we know for sure is what Black's after -"

"But Harry and Sapphire will be perfectly safe at Hogwarts."

"We thought Azkaban was perfectly safe. If Black can break out of Azkaban, he can break into Hogwarts."

"But no one's really sure that Black's after them -"

There was a thud on wood, and I was sure Mr. Weasley had banged his fist on the table. "Molly, how many times do I have to tell you? They didn't report it in the press because Fudge wanted it kept quiet, but Fudge went out to Azkaban the night Black escaped. The guards told Fudge that Blacks been talking in his sleep for a while now. Always the same words: 'He's at Hogwarts...he's at Hogwarts.' Black is deranged, Molly, and he wants Harry dead. For all we know, he could be after Sapphire, too. If you ask me, he thinks murdering them will bring You-Know-Who back to power. Black lost everything the night they stopped You-Know-Who, and he's had twelve years alone in Azkaban to brood on that..."

There was a silence. I leaned still closer to the door, desperate to hear more. So did Harry.

"Well, Arthur, you must do what you think is right. But you're forgetting Albus Dumbledore. I don't think anything could hurt Harry or his sister at Hogwarts while Dumbledore's Headmaster. I suppose he knows about all this?"

"Of course he knows. We had to ask him if he minds the Azkaban guards stationing themselves around the entrances to the school grounds. He wasn't happy about it, but he agreed."

"Not happy? Why shouldn't he be happy, if they're there to catch Black?"

"Dumbledore isn't fond of the Azkaban guards," said Mr. Weasley heavily. "Nor am I, if it comes to that...but when you're dealing with a wizard like Black, you sometimes have to join forces with those you'd rather avoid."

"If they save them -"

"Then I will never say another word against them, said Mr. Weasley wearily. "It's late, Molly, we'd better go up..."

I heard chairs move. As quietly as we could, me and my brother hurried down the passage to the bar and out of sight. The parlor door opened, and a few seconds later footsteps told us that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were climbing the stairs. The bottle of rat tonic was lying under the table we had sat at earlier. we waited until we heard Mr. and Mrs. Wesley's bedroom door close, then headed back upstairs with the bottle.

Fred and George were crouching in the shadows on the landing, heaving with laughter as they listened to Percy dismantling his and Ron's room in search of his badge.

"We've got it," Fred whispered to me. "We've been improving it." The badge now read Bighead Boy.

I forced a laugh, went to give Ron the rat tonic, then Harry shut himself in his room. I went to my room to see Hermione and Ginny already sleeping.

So Sirius Black was after me. This explained everything. Fudge had been lenient with us because he was so relieved to find us alive. He'd made us promise to stay in Diagon Alley where there were plenty of wizards to keep an eye on us. And he was sending two Ministry cars to take us all to the station tomorrow, so that the Weasleys could look after us until we were on the train. I lay down and wondered why I didn't feel more scared. Sirius Black had murdered thirteen people with one curse; Mr. and Mrs., Weasley obviously thought Harry would be panic-stricken if he knew the truth. But I happened to agree wholeheartedly with Mrs. Weasley that the safest place on earth was wherever Albus Dumbledore happened to be. Didn't people always say that Dumbledore was the only person Lord Voldemort had ever been afraid of? Surely Black, as Voldemort's right-hand man, would be just as frightened of him?

_But Sirius is innocent, he was framed, he loves me, he won't try to kill me, I'm his pup, _I thought. I froze_. Pup? PUP?! _Before I thought of anything else, I fell asleep.

* * *

**Well that's it for now. Don't forget to R and R! How do you like Sapphire? The story? Should she end up with anyone(don't worry it won't get all sappy)? Should she meet Sirius before Harry does? Reviews are love!**

**MoonPaw**


	4. Ch 4: Family reunions and Dementors

**Hello, lovelies! Thank you for your suggestions for the story, they are much appreciated! Don't worry, Sapphire will meet PADFOOT first, and then she will figure out that her new canine friend is a mass murderer! I have a question: When should Sapphire become an Animagus? I know it will be soon, but any ideas?**

**Disclaimer(which I haven't yet done): My name is not J.K Rowling. I will only ever own my Oc**

* * *

I woke up Harry the next morning with my usual wolfy grin and a cup of tea. Harry got dressed and I was just persuading a disgruntled Hedwig to get back into her cage when Ron banged his way into the room, pulling a sweatshirt over his head and looking irritable.

"The sooner we get on the train, the better," he said. "At least I can get away from Percy at Hogwarts. Now he's accusing me of dripping tea on his photo of Penelope Clearwater. You know," Ron grimaced, "his girlfriend. She's hidden her face under the frame because her nose has gone all blotchy..."

"If it wasn't, already", I joked.

"We've got something to tell you," Harry began, but we were interrupted by Fred and George, who had looked in to congratulate Ron on infuriating Percy again.

We headed down to breakfast, me riding Ron, where Mr. Weasley was reading the front page of the Daily Prophet with a furrowed brow and Mrs. Weasley was telling Hermione and Ginny about a love potion she'd made as a young girl. All three of them were rather giggly. I rolled my eyes at this.

"What were you saying?" Ron asked my brother as we sat down. I had jumped off of Ron into my seat.

"Later," Harry muttered as Percy stormed in.

Harry(or me, for that matter) had no chance to speak to Ron or Hermione in the chaos of leaving; we were too busy heaving all of our trunks down the Leaky Cauldron's narrow staircase and piling them up near the door, with Lunae, Hedwig and Hermes, Percy's screech owl, perched on top in their cages. A small wickerwork basket stood beside the heap of trunks, spitting loudly.

"It's all right, Crookshanks," I cooed through the wickerwork. "Hermione'll let you out on the train."

"She won't," snapped Ron. "What about poor Scabbers, eh?"

He pointed at his chest, where a large lump indicated that Scabbers was curled up in his pocket.

I was just about to tell him where he could stick his rat when Mr. Weasley, who had been outside waiting for the Ministry cars, stuck his head inside.

"They're here, he said. "Harry, Sapphire, come on."

Mr. Weasley marched us across the short stretch of pavement toward the first of two old-fashioned dark green cars, each of which was driven by a furtive-looking wizard wearing a suit of emerald velvet.

"In you get," said Mr. Weasley, glancing up and down the crowded street.

We got into the back of the car and were shortly joined by Hermione, Ron, and, to Ron's and my disgust, Percy.

The journey to King's Cross was very uneventful compared with our trip on the Knight Bus. The Ministry of Magic cars seemed almost ordinary, though I noticed that they could slide through gaps that Uncle Vernon's new company car certainly couldn't have managed. We reached King's Cross with twenty minutes to spare; the Ministry drivers found us trolleys, unloaded the trunks, touched their hats in salute to Mr. Weasley, and drove away, somehow managing to jump to the head of an unmoving line at the traffic lights.

Mr. Weasley kept close to mine and Harry's elbows all the way into the station.

"Right then," he said, glancing around us. "Let's do this in groups of three, as there are so many of us. I'll go through first with Harry and Sapphire ."

Mr. Weasley strolled toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten, pushing Harry's trolley while I pushed mine and apparently looked very interested in the InterCity 125 that had just arrived at platform nine. With a meaningful look at us, he leaned casually against the barrier. I imitated him. So did Harry.

In a moment, we had fallen sideways through the solid metal onto platform nine and three-quarters and I looked up to see the Hogwarts Express, a scarlet steam engine, puffing smoke over a platform packed with witches and wizards seeing their children onto the train.

Percy, Fred and Ginny suddenly appeared behind Harry. They were panting and had apparently taken the barrier at a run.

"Ah, there's Penelope!" said Percy, smoothing his hair and going pink again. Ginny caught my eye, and we both turned away to hide our laughter as Percy strode over to a girl with long, curly hair, walking with his chest thrown out so that she couldn't miss his shiny badge.

Once the remaining Weasleys and Hermione had joined us, Harry and Mr. Weasley led the way to the end of the train, past packed compartments, to a carriage that looked quite empty. We loaded the trunks onto it, stowed Hedwig, Lunae, and Crookshanks in the luggage rack, then went back outside to say goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

Mrs. Weasley kissed all her children, then Hermione, Harry, and finally me. I was embarrassed, but really quite pleased, when she gave me an extra hug.

"Do take care, won't you Sapphire?" she said as she straightened up, her eyes oddly bright. Then she opened her enormous handbag and said, "I've made you all sandwiches. Here you are, Ron...no, they're not corned beef... Fred? Where's Fred? Here you are dear..."

"Sapphire," said Mr. Weasley quietly, "come over here for a moment."

He jerked his head towards a pillar, and me and Harry followed him behind it, leaving the others crowded around Mrs. Weasley.

"There's something I've got to tell you two before you leave -" said Mr. Weasley in a tense voice.

"It's all right, Mr. Weasley," said Harry, "we already know."

"You know? How could you know?"

"We - er - we heard you and Mrs. Wesley talking last night. We couldn't help hearing," I added quickly. "Sorry -"

"That's not the way I'd have chosen for you two to find out," said Mr. Weasley looking anxious..

"No -honestly it's OK. This way, you haven't broken your word to Fudge and me and Harry know what's going on."

"Harry, Sapphire you must be scared - "

"I'm not," said Harry sincerely. I nodded.

"Really," I added, because Mr. Weasley was looking disbelieving. "I'm not trying to be a hero, neither is Harry, but seriously, Sirius Black can't be worse than Lord Voldemort, can he?"

Mr. Weasley flinched at the sound of the name, but overlooked it.

"Sapphire, I knew you and Harry were, well, made of stronger stuff than Fudge seems to think, and I'm obviously pleased that you're not scared, but -"

"Arthur!" called Mrs. Weasley, who was now shepherding the rest onto the train. "Arthur, what are you doing? It's about to go!"

"They're coming Molly!" said Mr. Weasley, but he turned back to Harry and kept talking in a lower and more hurried voice, "Listen, I want both of you to give me your word -"

" - that we'll be good kids and stay in the castle?" said Harry gloomily.

"Not entirely," said Mr. Weasley, who looked more serious than I had ever seen him. "Harry, swear to me you won't go looking for Black. You, too, Sapphire"

We stared. "What!" we exclaimed.

There was a loud whistle. Guards were walking along the train, slamming all the doors shut.

"Promise me," said Mr. Weasley, talking more quickly still, "that whatever happens -"

"Why would I go looking for someone I know wants to kill me?" said Harry blankly. I was about to correct him, but decided against it. I didn't want anybody to know I thought he was innocent.

"Swear to me that whatever you guys might hear -" He looked straight at me.

"Arthur, quickly!" cried Mrs. Weasley.

Steam was billowing from the train it had started to move. We ran to the compartment door and Ron threw it open and stood back to let us on. We leaned out of the window and waved at Mr. and Mrs. Weasley until the train turned a corner and blocked them from view.

"We need to talk to you in private," Harry muttered to Ron and Hermione as the train picked up speed.

"Go away, Ginny," said Ron.

"Oh, that's nice," said Ginny huffily, and she stalked off. I rolled my eyes.

Harry, me, Ron, and Hermione set off down the corridor, looking for an empty compartment, but all were full except for the one at the very end of the train.

This had only one occupant, a man sitting fast asleep next to the window. We checked on the threshold. The Hogwarts Express was usually reserved for students and we had never seen an adult there before, except for the witch who pushed the food cart.

The stranger was wearing an extremely shabby set of wizard's robes that had been darned in several places. He looked ill and exhausted. Though quite young, his light brown hair was flecked with gray.

"Who d'you reckon he is?" Ron hissed as he, Harry, and Hermione sat down, taking the seats farthest away from the window.

"Professor R. J. Lupin." whispered Hermione at once.

"How'd you know that?"

"It's on his case," she replied, pointing at the luggage rack over the man's head, where there was a small, battered case held together with a large quantity of neatly knotted string. The name Professor R. J. Lupin was stamped across one corner in peeling letters.

I stood frozen at the doorway. A memory flashed upon me.

* * *

_There was a man spinning me around, while I was laughing like crazy. He had a tired look to him, with sandy brown hair and his eyes were a golden brown. His eyes were sparkling with amusement, and he was also laughing. I liked it when he was happy._

_I knew this man to be one of my godfathers. He had a nice name. _Moony

_My mummy stood at the door, playfully glaring at us._

_"Remus John Lupin," she snarled. "You put my daughter down!"_

_"Sorry, Lily."_

* * *

I fliched. This man-was he my godfather? One of my only family?

"Wonder what he teaches?" I heard Ron say, frowning at Professor Lupin's pallid profile. I quickly closed the door, sitting across from Proffesor Lupin's sleeping figure. I sat staring at him.

"That's obvious," whispered Hermione. "There's only one vacancy, isn't there? Defense Against the Dark Arts."

Me, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had already had two Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers, both of whom had lasted only one year. There were rumors that the job was jinxed.

"Well, I hope he's up to it," said Ron doubtfully. "He looks like on, good hex would finish him off, doesn't he? What?" he asked. I was glaring at him. Anyway..." he turned to Harry, "what were you two going to tell us?"

Harry explained all about Mr. and Mrs. Wesley's argument and the warning Mr. Weasley had just given us. When he'd finished, Ron looked thunderstruck, and Hermione had her hands over her mouth. I was still staring at the man. Hermione finally lowered he hands to say, "Sirius Black escaped to come after you two? Oh, Harry...you'll have to be really, really careful. don't go looking for trouble, Harry..."

"Me and Sapphire don't go looking for trouble," said Harry, nettled. "Trouble usually finds us."

"How thick would they have to be, to go looking for a nutter who wants to kill them?" said Ron shakily.

They were taking the news worse than I had expected. Both Ron and Hermione seemed to be much more frightened of Black than Harry was. I wasn't afraid at all.

"No one knows how he got out of Azkaban," said Ron uncomfortably. "No one's ever done it before. And he was a top-security prisoner too."

"But they'll catch him, won't they?" said Hermione earnestly. "I mean, they've got all the Muggles looking out for him too..."

"What's that noise?" said Ron suddenly.

A faint, tinny sort of whistle was coming from somewhere. They looked all around the compartment.

"It's coming from your trunk, Harry," said Ron, standing up and reaching into the luggage rack. A moment later he had pulled the Pocket Sneakoscopes(I had stuffed mine in there) out from between Harry's robes. They were spinning very fast in the palms of Ron's hands and glowing brilliantly.

"Are those Sneakoscopes?" said Hermione interestedly, standing up for a better look.

"Yeah...mind you, they're very cheap ones," Ron said. "They went haywire just as I was tying them to Errol's leg to send them to these two."

"Were you doing anything untrustworthy at the time?" said Hermione shrewdly.

"No! Well...I wasn't supposed to be using Errol. You know he's not really up to long journeys...but how else was I supposed to get their presents to them?"

"Stick them back in the trunk," Harry advised as the Sneakoscope whistled piercingly, "or it'll wake him up."

He nodded toward Professor Lupin. Ron stuffed the Sneakoscopes into a particularly horrible pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks, which deadened the sound, then closed the lid of the trunk on it.

"We could get them checked in Hogsmeade," said Ron, sitting back down. "They sell that sort of thing in Dervish and Banges, magical instruments and stuff. Fred and George told me."

"Do you know much about Hogsmeade?" asked Hermione keenly. "I've read it's the only entirely non-Muggle settlement in Britain -"

"Yeah, I think it is," said Ron in an offhand sort of way. "but that's not why I want to go. I just want to get inside Honeydukes!"

"What's that?" said Hermione.

"It's this sweetshop," said Ron, a dreamy look coming over his face, "where they've got everything...Pepper Imps - they make you smoke at the mouth - and great fat Chocoballs full of strawberry mousse and clotted cream, and really excellent sugar quills, which you can suck in class and just look like you're thinking what to write next..."

"But Hogsmeade's a very interesting place, isn't it?" Hermione pressed on eagerly. "In Sites of Historical Sorcery it says the inn was the headquarters for the 1612 goblin rebellion, and the Shrieking Shack's supposed to be the most severely haunted building in Britain -"

".. and massive sherbet balls that make you levitate a few inches off the ground while you're sucking them," said Ron, who was plainly not listening to a word Hermione was saying.

Hermione looked around at me.

"Won't it be nice to get out of school for a bit and explore Hogsmeade?"

"'Spect it will," said Harry heavily. "You'll have to tell us when you've found out."

"What d'you mean?" said Ron.

"We can't go. The Dursleys didn't sign our permission forms, and Fudge wouldn't either."

Ron looked horrified.

"You're not allowed to come? But - no way - McGonagall or someone will give you permission -"

I gave a hollow laugh. Minnie was very strict.

"... or we can ask Fred and George, they know every secret passage out of the castle -"

"Ron!" said Hermione sharply. "I don't think Harry and Sapphire should be sneaking out of the school with Black on the loose -"

"Yeah, I expect that's what McGonagall will say when we ask for permission," said Harry bitterly.

"But if we're with them," said Ron spiritedly to Hermione. "Black wouldn't dare -"

"Oh, Ron, don't talk rubbish," snapped Hermione. "Black's already murdered a whole bunch of people in the middle of a crowded street, do you really think he's going to worry about attacking Harry OR Sapphire just because we're there?"

She was fumbling with the straps of Crookshanks's basket as she spoke.

"Don't let that thing out!" Ron said, but too late; Crookshanks leapt lightly from the basket, stretched, yawned, and sprang onto Ron's knees; the lump in Ron's pocket trembled and he shoved Crookshanks angrily away.

"Get out of it!"

"Ron, don't!" said Hermione angrily.

Ron was about to answer back when Professor Lupin stirred. We watched him apprehensively(me hopeful), but he simply turned his head the other way, mouth slightly open, and slept on.

_He looks so adorable,_ I thought.

* * *

The Hogwarts Express moved steadily north and the scenery outside the window became wilder and darker while the clouds overhead thickened overhead. People were chasing backwards and forwards past the door of their compartment. I pulled a prank on some Ravenclaw prefects with the twins and was now laughing in my seat. Crookshanks had now settled in an empty seat, his squashed face turned towards Ron, his yellow eyes on Ron's top pocket.

At one o'clock the plump witch with the food cart arrived at the compartment door.

"D'you think we should wake him up?" Ron asked awkwardly, nodding towards Professor Lupin. "He looks like he could do with some food."

Hermione approached Professor Lupin cautiously.

"Er - Professor?" she said. "Excuse me - Professor?"

He didn't move.

"Moony?" I asked. He twitched in his sleep.

"Moony?" Harry asked me, an eyebrow raised.

"Long story."

"Don't worry, dear," said the witch, as she handed Harry a large stack of cauldron cakes. "If he's hungry when he wakes, I'll be up front with the driver."

"I suppose he is asleep?" said Ron quietly, as the witch slid the compartment door closed. "I mean - he hasn't died, has he?"

"No, no, he's breathing," I whispered, taking the cauldron cake Harry passed me.

He might not be very good companye(well, at least to the others), but Professor Lupin's presence in our compartment had its uses. Mid-afternoon, just as it had started to rain, blurring the rolling hills outside the window, I heard footsteps outside in the corridor again, and my three least favorite people appeared at the door: Draco Malfoy, flanked by his cronies, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.

Draco Malfoy and us had been enemies ever since we had met on our very first journey to Hogwarts. Malfoy, who had a pale, pointed, sneering face, was in Slytherin house; he played Seeker on the Slytherin Quidditch team, the same position that Harry played on the Gryffindor team. Crabbe and Goyle seemed to exist to do Malfoy's bidding. They were both fat and muscly; Crabbe was taller, with a pudding-bowl haircut and a very thick neck; Goyle had short, bristly hair and long, gorilla arms.

"Well, look who it is," said Malfoy in his usual lazy drawl, pulling open the compartment door. "The Potties and the Weasel."

Crabbe and Goyle chuckled trollishly. I glared.

"I heard your father finally got his hands on some gold this summer, Weasley," said Malfoy. "Did your mother die of shock?"

Ron stood up so quickly he knocked Crookshanks's basket to the floor. Professor Lupin gave a snort. He moaned in his sleep. It looked like he was having a nightmare.

"Who's that?" said Malfoy, taking an automatic step backward as he spotted Lupin.

"New teacher," I said. My brother and I got to our feet, too, in case we needed to hold Ron back. "What were you saying, Malfoy?"

Malfoy's pale eyes narrowed; he wasn't fool enough to pick a fight right under a teacher's nose.

"C'mon," he muttered resentfully to Crabbe and Goyle, and they disappeared. I smirked.

Me, Harry and Ron sat down again, Ron massaging his knuckles.

"I'm not going to take any crap from Malfoy this year," he said angrily. "I mean it. If he makes one more crack about my family, I'm going to get hold of his head and -"

Ron made a violent gesture in midair. I laughed.

"Ron," hissed Hermione, pointing at Professor Lupin, "be careful..."

But Professor Lupin was still fast asleep(unfortunately).

The rain thickened as the train sped yet farther north; the windows were now a solid, shimmering gray, which gradually darkened until lanterns flickered into life all along the corridors and over the luggage racks. The train rattled, the rain hammered, the wind roared, but still, Professor Lupin slept.

"We must be nearly there," I said, leaning forward to look past Professor Lupin at the now completely black window.

The words had hardly left me when the train started to slow down.

"Great," said Ron, getting up and walking carefully past Professor Lupin to try and see outside. "I'm starving. I want to get to the feast..."

"We can't be there yet," said Hermione, checking her watch.

"So why're we stopping?"

The train was getting slower and slower. As the noise of the pistons fell away, the wind and rain sounded louder than ever against the windows.

I, who was nearest the door, got up to look into the corridor. All along the carriage, heads were sticking curiously out of their compartments.

The train came to a stop with a jolt, and distant thuds and bangs told us that luggage had fallen out of the racks. Then, without warning, all the lamps went out and we were plunged into total darkness.

"What's going on?" said Ron's voice from behind me.

"Ouch!" gasped Hermione. "Ron, that was my foot!"

I felt my way back to my seat.

"D'you think we've broken down?"

"Dunno..."

There was a squeaking sound, and I saw the dim black outline of Ron, wiping a patch clean on the window and peering out.

"There's something moving out there," Ron said. "I think people are coming aboard..."

The compartment door suddenly opened and someone fell painfully over my legs.

"Sorry! D'you know what's going on? Ouch! Sorry -"

"Hullo, Neville," said Harry. I felt around in the dark and pulled my friend Neville up by his cloak.

"Saph? Harry? Is that you? What's happening?"

"No idea! Sit down -"

There was a loud hissing and a yelp of pain; Neville had tried to sit on Crookshanks.

"I'm going to go and ask the driver what's going on," came Hermione's voice. I felt her pass me, heard the door slide open again, and then a thud and two loud squeals of pain.

"Who's that?"

"Who's that?"

"Ginny?"

"Hermione?"

"What are you doing?"

"I was looking for Ron -"

"Come in and sit down -"

"Not here!" said Harry hurriedly. "I'm here!"

"Ouch!" said Neville.

"Quiet!" said a hoarse voice suddenly.

Professor Lupin appeared to have woken up at last. I could hear movements in his corner.

None of us spoke.

There was a soft, crackling noise, and a shivering light filled the compartment. Professor Lupin appeared to be holding a handful of flames. They illuminated his tired, gray face, but his eyes looked alert and wary. I knew it. This was my Moony.

"Stay where you are." he said in the same hoarse voice, and he got slowly to his feet with his handful of fire held out in front of him. He didn't even see me.

But the door slid slowly open before Moony could reach it.

Standing in the doorway, illuminated by the shivering flames in Moony's hand, was a cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling. Its face was completely hidden beneath its hood. My eyes darted downward, and what I saw made my stomach contract. There was a hand protruding from the cloak and it was glistening, grayish, slimy-looking, and scabbed, like something dead that had decayed in water...

But it was visible only for a split second. As though the creature beneath the cloak sensed my gaze, the hand was suddenly withdrawn into the folds of its black cloak.

And then the thing beneath the hood, whatever it was, drew a long, slow, rattling breath, as though it were trying to suck something more than air from its surroundings.

An intense cold swept over us all. I felt my own breath catch in my chest. The cold went deeper than my skin. It was inside my chest, it was inside my very heart... I saw my brother fall.

My eyes rolled up into my head. I couldn't see. I was drowning in cold. There was a rushing in my ears as though of water. I was being dragged downward, the roaring growing louder...

And then, from far away, I heard screaming, terrible, terrified, pleading screams. I wanted to help whoever it was, I tried to move my arms, but couldn't...a thick white fog was swirling around me, inside me -

"Harry! Are you all right?"

I woke up. Hermione was trying to wake up my brother. The light was too much. I closed my eyes.

"W-what?" I muttered.

I felt lanterns above me, and the floor was shaking - the Hogwarts Express was moving again and the lights had come back on. I seemed to have slid out of his seat onto the floor. Someone was kneeling next to me. I opened my eyes again and saw Lupin. He looked startled as soon as I did.

"Sapphire?" he whispered.

"Moony?" I replied. Before I knew anything else, I was in his arms. I felt so happy at the moment. I finally had family in my life other than Harry. I started sobbing. Moony stoked my back.

"It's okay cub, I'm here," he kept repeating. I felt sick after that, so he sat me down. My brother had woken up too. Everyone was staring.

"Are you guys okay?" Ron asked nervously.

"Yeah," said Harry, looking quickly toward the door. The hooded creature had vanished. "What happened? Where's that - that thing? Who screamed?"

"No one screamed," said Ron, more nervously still.

I looked around the bright compartment. Ginny and Neville looked back at me, both very pale.

"But I heard screaming, too -" I said

A loud snap made us all jump. Professor Lupin was breaking an enormous slab of chocolate into pieces.

"Here," he said to Harry, handing him a particularly large piece. "Eat it. It'll help." He gave me another rather large piece. I beamed at him and devoured it. I felt much better.

Harry took his chocolate but didn't eat it.

"What was that thing?" he asked Moony.

"A Dementor," he relied, while giving chocolate to everyone else. "One of the Dementors of Azkaban."

Everyonebut me stared at him. Professor Lupin crumpled up the empty chocolate wrapper and put it in his pocket.

"Eat," he repeated. "It'll help. I need to speak to the driver, excuse me..."

He strolled past me, ruffled my hair and disappeared into the corridor.

Everyone stared at me. "What?"

"Why did you hug our Professor and call him Moony?" Ron asked, bewildered.

"He's my long lost godfather."

They all backed off after that.

"Are you sure you're okay, Harry?" I asked, watching Harry anxiously. He looked very tired.

"I don't get it ... what happened?" said Harry, wiping sweat off his face. I wanted to know myself.

"Well - that thing - the Dementor - stood there and looked around (I mean, I think it did, I couldn't see its face) - and you - you -and Sapphire-"

"I thought you guys were having a fit or something," said Ron, who still looked scared. "You both went sort of rigid and fell out of your seats and started twitching -"

"And Professor Lupin stepped over you, Harry, and walked toward the Dementor, and pulled out his wand," said Hermione, "and he said, 'None of us is hiding Sirius Black"(I flinched) "under our cloaks. Go.' But the Dementor didn't move, so Lupin muttered something, and a silvery thing shot out of his wand at it, and it turned around and sort of glided away..."

"It was horrible," said Neville, in a higher voice than usual. "Did you feel how cold it got when it came in?"

"I felt weird," said Ron, shifting his shoulders uncomfortably. "Like I'd never be cheerful again..."

Ginny, who was huddled in her corner looking nearly as bad as I felt, gave a small sob; I went over and put a comforting arm around her.

"But didn't any of you - fall off your seats?" said Harry awkwardly.

"No," said Ron, looking anxiously at me and Harry again. "Ginny was shaking like mad, though..."

I didn't understand. I had felt weak and shivery, as though I were recovering from a bad bout of flu, and so did Harry; I also felt the beginnings of shame. Why had we gone to pieces like that, when no one else had?

Moony had come back. He paused as he entered, looked around, and said, with a small smile, "I haven't poisoned that chocolate, you know..."

"We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes," said Professor Lupin. "Are you all right, cub? Harry?"

"Fine," Harry muttered, embarrassed. I just beamed at my godfather.

Nobody except for me(I was catching up with my godfather) talked much during the remainder of the journey. At long last, the train stopped at Hogsmeade station, and there was a great scramble to get outside; owls hooted, cats meowed, and Neville's pet toad croaked loudly from under his hat. It was freezing on the tiny platform; rain was driving down in icy sheets.

"Firs' years this way!" called a familiar voice. Me, Harry, Ron, and Hermione turned and saw the gigantic outline of Hagrid at the other end of the platform, beckoning the terrified-looking new students forward for their traditional journey across the lake.

"All right, you four?" Hagrid yelled over the heads of the crowd. We waved at him, but had no chance to speak to him because the mass of people around us was shunting us away along the platform. Me, Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed the rest of the school along the platform and out onto a rough mud track, where at least a hundred stagecoaches awaited the remaining students, each pulled by an invisible horse, because when we climbed inside and shut the door, the coach set off all by itself, bumping and swaying in procession.

The coach smelled faintly of mold and straw. Harry felt better since the chocolate, but still weak. Ron and Hermione kept looking at him sideways, as though frightened he might collapse again.

As the carriage trundled toward a pair of magnificent wrought iron gates, flanked with stone columns topped with winged boars, I saw two more towering, hooded Dementors, standing guard on either side. A wave of cold sickness threatened to engulf me again; I leaned into my brother and closed my eyes until we had passed the gates. The carriage picked up speed on the long, sloping drive up to the castle; Hermione was leaning out of the tiny window, watching the many turrets and towers draw nearer. At last, the carriage swayed to a halt, and Hermione and Ron got out.

As me and Harry stepped down, a drawling, delighted voice sounded in my ear.

"You fainted, Potters? Is Longbottorn telling the truth? You actually fainted?"

Malfoy elbowed past Hermione to block our way up the stone steps to the castle, his face gleeful and his pale eyes glinting maliciously.

"Shove off, Malfoy," said Ron, whose jaw was clenched.

"Did you faint as well, Weasley?" said Malfoy loudly. "Did the scary old Dementor frighten you too, Weasley?"

"Is there a problem?" said a mild voice. Professor Lupin had just gotten out of the next carriage. I beamed at him.

Malfoy gave Moony an insolent stare, which took in the patches on his robes and the dilapidated suitcase. With a tiny hint of sarcasm in his voice, he said, "Oh, no - er - Professor," then he smirked at Crabbe and Goyle and led them up the steps into the castle. I growled, about to beat the living daylights out of that blonde git when Harry grabbed my arm to hold me back.

Hermione prodded Ron in the back to make him hurry, and the three of them joined the crowd swarming up the steps, through the giant oak front doors, into the cavernous Entrance Hall, which was lit with flaming torches, and housed a magnificent marble staircase that led to the upper floors.

The door into the Great Hall stood open at the right; Harry followed the crowd toward it, but had barely glimpsed the enchanted ceiling, which was black and cloudy tonight, when a voice called, "Potters! Granger! I want to see you three!"

Me, Harry and Hermione turned around, surprised. Professor McGonagall, Transfiguration teacher and head of Gryffindor House, was calling over the heads of the crowd. She was a stern looking witch who wore her hair in a tight bun; her sharp eyes were framed with square spectacles. I fought my way over to her, grinning.

"Hullo, Minnie!" I shouted. She gave me a tight, one second smile

"There's no need to look so worried - I just want a word in my office," she told my brother, who indeed looked worried. "Move along there, Weasley."

Ron stared as Professor McGonagall ushered me, Harry and Hermione away from the chattering crowd; we accompanied her across the entrance hall, up the marble staircase, and along a corridor.

Once we were in her office, a small room with a large, welcoming fire, Professor McGonagall motioned us to sit down. She settled herself behind her desk and said abruptly, "Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead to say that you were taken ill on the train, Potters. And congradulations, Miss. Potter"

Before me or Harry could reply, there was a soft knock on the door and Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, came bustling in.

I felt myself going red in the face. It was bad enough that I'd passed out, or whatever I had done, without everyone making all this fuss.

"We're fine," Harry said, "We don't need anything -"

"Oh, it's you two, is it?" said Madam Pomfrey, ignoring this and bending down to stare closely at us. "I suppose you've been doing something dangerous again?" I blushed at this.

"It was a Dementor, Poppy," said Professor McGonagall.

They exchanged a dark look, and Madam Pomfrey clucked disapprovingly.

"Setting Dementors around a school, she muttered, pushing back my hair and feeling my forehead. "They won't be the last who collapses. Yes, she's all clammy. So is he. Terrible things, they are, and the effect they have on people who are already delicate -"

"I'm not delicate!" said Harry crossly.

"Of course you're not," said Madam Pomfrey absentmindedly, now taking my pulse.

"What do they need?" said Professor McGonagall crisply. "Bed rest? Should they perhaps spend tonight in the hospital wing?"

"We're fine!" said Harry and I, jumping up. The thought of what Draco Malfoy would say if we had to go to the hospital wing was torture.

"Well, he should have some chocolate, at the very least," said Madam Pomfrey, who was now trying to peer into my eyes.

"We've already had some," said Harry. "Moo-Professor Lupin gave us some. He gave it to all of us."

"Did he, now?" said Madam Pomfrey approvingly. "So we've finally got a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his remedies?" I smiled.

"Are you sure you feel all right, Potters?" Professor McGonagall said sharply.

"Yes," we said.

"Very well. Kindly wait outside while I have a quick word with Miss Granger about her course schedule, then we can all go down to the feast together."

We went back into the corridor with Madam Pomfrey, who left for the hospital wing, muttering to herself. We had to wait only a few minutes; then Hermione emerged looking very happy about something, followed by Professor McGonagall, and the four of us made our way back down the marble staircase to the Great Hall.

It was a sea of pointed black hats; each of the long House tables was lined with students, their faces glimmering by the light of thousands of candles, which were floating over the tables in midair. Professor Flitwick, who was a tiny little wizard with a shock of white hair, was carrying an ancient hat and a three-legged stool out of the hall.

"Oh," said Hermione softly, "we've missed the Sorting!"

New students at Hogwarts were sorted into Houses by trying on the Sorting Hat, which shouted out the House they were best suited to (Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin). Professor McGonagall strode off toward her empty seat at the staff table, and me, Harry and Hermione set off in the other direction, as quietly as possible, toward the Gryffindor table. People looked around at us as us passed along the back of the hall, and a few of them pointed at Harry. Whoever pointed at me was given a very rude gesture. Had the story of our collapsing in front of the Dementor traveled that fast?

Harry and Hermione sat down on either side of Ron, while I sat in front, between the twins, who had saved us seats.

"What was all that about?" he muttered to us.

Harry started to explain in a whisper, but at that moment the headmaster stood up to speak, and he broke off.

Professor Dumbledore, though very old, always gave an impression of great energy. He had several feet of long silver hair and beard, half-moon spectacles, and an extremely crooked nose. He was often described as the greatest wizard of the age, but that wasn't why I respected him. You couldn't help trusting Albus Dumbledore, and as I watched him beaming around at the students, I felt really calm for the first time since the Dementor had entered the train compartment.

"Welcome!" said Dumbledore, the candlelight shimmering on his beard. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast..."

Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued, "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the Dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business."

He paused, and I remembered what Mr. Weasley had said about Dumbledore not being happy with the Dementors guarding the school.

"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds," Dumbledore continued, "and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises - or even Invisibility Cloaks," he added blandly, and me, Harry, and Ron glanced at each other. "It is not in the nature of a Dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the Dementors," he said.

Percy, who was sitting a few seats down from us, puffed out his chest again and stared around impressively. I pretended to puke, causing the twins to laugh. Dumbledore paused again; he looked very seriously around the hall, and nobody moved or made a sound.

"On a happier note," he continued, "I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year.

"First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

There was some scattered, rather unenthusiastic applause. Only those who had been in the compartment on the train with Professor Lupin clapped hard. I stood up, clapping furiously. Poor Moony looked particularly shabby next to all the other teachers in their best robes.

"Look at Snape!" Ron hissed in Harry's ear. I, with my amazing hearing, heard him.

Professor Snape, the Potions master, was staring along the staff table at Moony. It was common knowledge that Snape wanted the Defense Against the Dark Arts job, but I, who was a favorite os dear old Snivellous, was startled at the expression twisting his thin, sallow face. it was beyond anger: it was loathing. My brother knew that expression only too well; it was the look Snape wore every time he set eyes on Harry.

"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued as the lukewarm applause for Professor Lupin died away. "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties."

Me, Harry, Ron, and Hermione stared at one another, stunned. Then we joined in with the applause, which was tumultuous at the Gryffindor table in particular. I leaned forward to see Hagrid, who was ruby red in the face and staring down at his enormous hands, his wide grin hidden in the tangle of his black beard.

"We should've known!" Ron roared, pounding the table. "Who else would have assigned us a biting book?"

Me, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were the last to stop clapping, and as Professor Dumbledore started speaking again after I stopped screaming(I had WAY too much candy), I saw that Hagrid was wiping his eyes on the tablecloth.

"Well, I think that's everything of importance," said Dumbledore. "Let the feast begin!"

The golden plates and goblets before them filled suddenly with food and drink. I, suddenly ravenous, helped myself to everything I could reach and began to eat.

It was a delicious feast; the hall echoed with talk, laughter, and the clatter of knives and forks. Me, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, however, were eager for it to finish so that they could talk to Hagrid and I could talk to Lupin.

At long last, when the last morsels of pumpkin tart had melted from the golden platters, Dumbledore gave the word that it was time us all to go to bed, and they got their chance. I went over to Moony and squeezed him with all my might. "Oh, it was soooo good to see you again, Moony!" I exclaimed. He laughed and said goodnight before leaving.

When I went back to the other three, I congratulated Hagrid. Overcome with emotion, he buried his face in his napkin, and Professor McGonagall shooed us away.

Me, Harry, Ron, and Hermione joined the Gryffindors streaming up the marble staircase and, with me running and shouting, along more corridors, up more and more stairs, to the hidden entrance to Gryffindor Tower, where a large portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress asked them, "Password?"

"Coming through, coming through!" Percy called from behind the crowd. "The new password's Fortuna Major!"

"Oh no," said Neville Longbottom sadly. He always had trouble remembering the passwords.

Through the portrait hole and across the common room, the girls and boys divided toward their separate staircases. As soon as I reached mine, I collapsed, my sugar rush over at last.

* * *

**Don't forget to R and R! BYES!**

**OH WAIT, I FORGOT! I'm going to give you guys a treat, as you guys are awesome. Do you want:**

**A.) A look at what Sapphire will look like for the Yule Ball**

**B.) A short story based off of this one**

**C.) To see Sapphire in Animagus form**

**or**

**D.) ALL OF THE ABOVE PLUS SOMETHING SECRET**

**Let me know!**

**-MoonPaw**


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